Asteria was walking out her house after Vita messaged her saying that she was outside. It was morning and Asteria was planning on walking to school with Florian after their morning breakfast but he told her he couldn’t make it. When she walked out dressed and ready to go to school she not only saw Florian, she was saw Vita and Rilynn waiting for her as well.

“Good morning my sweet Ash!” Vita said as she jumped into Asteria’s arms who caught her and herself so they wouldn’t fall back on the ground.

Florian walked up to Asteria and hugged her on the side and Asteria lost focus and dropped Vita onto the ground. Florian helped her up while Asteria was red and flustered. Asteria then looked over to Rilynn.

“Why are you guys here?” Asteria asked as Rilynn looked away from her.

“We wanted to walk you to school. I got a bus and Florian met me at the stop and Rilynn got dropped off over there. We then walked over here together to pick you up so let’s hurry before we are late,” said Vita as she grabbed Asteria’s hand.

They started to walk off but Asteria kept looking at Rilynn who was walking closer to Florian rather than near her and Vita. Asteria’s mother came out as they were leaving and she said her “goodbyes” and drove off. While Florian and Rilynn discussed games, Asteria was trying to understand why they all came over.

“That girl going missing worries us so we wanted to all be here. I told Luca but he had something to do last night which kept him up so he is sleeping in right now and won’t be at school until later,” said Vita.

“I was talking to him last night and he did say he was going to be busy for the rest of the night. I wonder what that was but thank you for doing this. I can take care of myself too you know,” said Asteria.

Vita looked at Asteria concerned, “I know... it’s just we have to look out for each other right? We are friends and we care about you,”

“I know that but what about you? You having to get to the bus alone early in the morning and you also walking by yourself at night worries me but you all are here for me while we don’t do the same for you,”

Vita grew quiet but then she gave Asteria a huge grin and kissed her on the cheek, “You are so adorable and sweet to me. I can not ask for a better friend than you so for you I will protect myself,”

“Good. It’s okay to worry about others but you have to worry about yourself as well,” said Asteria.

Rilynn looked over to Vita and Vita glanced back at her but then she smiled at Asteria and they continued to talk. When they arrived to the school, Rilynn didn’t waste any time when she suddenly hurried over to Seraphina and her friends. Asteria looked annoyed as she watched them while they waited outside in front of the school for the bell. Vita looked at her amused.

“Why so upset? Are you jealous?” Said Vita as she appeared beside Asteria.

“No. Why would I be jealous?”

“No reason,” said Vita as she smirked.

Asteria glared at her, “Rilynn has been acting strange,” claimed Asteria.

“I agree. She seems bothered by something,” said Florian.

“Well whatever it is, Rilynn will get over it and will go back to being Rilynn,” said Luca as he appeared behind Asteria.

Asteria turned him and he suddenly landed a kiss on her lips. Both Vita and Florian both jumped up surprised. Others around gasped as well. Seraphina looked pleased while Rilynn looked irritated. Asteria pushed him away and hit him on the shoulder with a slap for kissing her so suddenly. Luca laughed and he was about to grabbed her hand but Rilynn approached and grabbed it. 

“Hey there friend, the bell is about to ring let’s get inside before we’re late,” said Rilynn as the bell did actually ring.

Luca was surprised that Rilynn was holding his hand but then she gripped onto it hard enough to make Luca wince in pain. He pulled away and Rilynn smiled at Asteria and then she was off into the school.

“What the hell?” Said Asteria confused.

Vita looked entertained as she followed Rilynn and Florian praised Luca for kissing Asteria so publicly. Asteria sighed as he walked away leaving her with Luca. Luca noticed she didn’t like how Florian praised another man for kissing her when he knew she wanted him to kiss her instead but he also knew she was with him, not Florian. Luca then grabbed her hand and they walked into the school together.

Later on in the school day, Asteria was walking in the hall alone as she walked by a bulletin board. Hailey, the girl who went missing, had a photo up on it. She stopped to look at and then she moved her finger along her face. Then she felt someone watching her. She turned to see Seraphina walking up to her staring her down intensely. Asteria braced herself as Seraphina came to a stop in front of her.

“What?” Said Asteria.

“Is that how you greet your friends?”

“You’re not my friend. You’re more of a constant itch that I can’t get to,”

“That can be solved if you ask for some assistance which can be Luca. I am sorry I said you two wouldn’t work out but I guess I was wrong,”

“What is going on between me and Luca is none of your business and I hope Rilynn can assist with your constant itch which is what you wanted right,”

“Rilynn was always by my side sweetheart,”

Asteria smirked, “I might not be technically friends with Rilynn but I’ve known her for a long time to know  she hates being around you,”

Seraphina gave Asteria a smile but Asteria could tell she was fighting back what she wanted to say, “I was going to invite you to my party but I might have to revoke that invite,”

“I don’t want to go anyways so don’t waste your breath sunshine,” said Asteria as she started to walk away.

Seraphina grabbed her arm to stop her, “I insist that you should go. After all it won’t be fun without you,” she claimed.

Asteria glared at Seraphina and then pulled her arm away, “Fine. I will bring Luca with me,”

“He was invited anyways so that sounds fantastic,” said Seraphina as she gre me cheery again.

Seraphina then gave Asteria a quick smile and then she walked away down the hall. Asteria then mumbled under her breath “Crazy Bitch” and then she headed off to class before she was late. As she walking she walked by a classroom. She heard a strange noise so she stopped in front to the door to hear what was going on. She then heard someone in pain. She then tried to open the door but it was locked. She put her ear to it and it was silent.

“Is someone there? Are you okay?”

No one was in the halls as the bell rung for the next class to begin. Luca who was waiting to see Asteria at her class before she started was looking for her. Rilynn was walking inside and he asked if she knew where she was. Rilynn ignored him and went inside the class. Luca then messaged her. Asteria knocked on the door until it opened revealing the boy from before that was bullying that younger kid in the cafe before.

“What’s up Asteria? Can I help you?” He asked as he kept the door open slightly.

“What are you doing in there?”

“I have permission to be in here for a project I’m working on. Shouldn’t you be in class?”

“If I am not in class that shouldn’t matter to you. I heard something that sounded like someone was hurt,”

The boy then looked frustrated, “Well you heard wrong,” he said as he started to close the door.

Then Asteria heard the noise again so she placed her foot in front of the door to stop it from closing. The boy looked at her as she suddenly used all her strength to kick the door open. When she did, he was backed up to the side and she saw the young boy from before being held against the bookcase by two other male students. They had his shirt up and he had cuts on him. She looked to see a pocket knife in of the other students’ hands. His face was bruised up and his lip was bleeding.

Asteria turned to the boy near her and immediately kicked him in the mid section. He felt to his knees holding his privates as Asteria walked over to the others. One of the students held the young boy as the other walked up to Asteria. He tried to grab her shoulder but she moved to the side and dodged his hand. She then punched him in the gut making him fall out of breath. He held his stomach as Asteria ended to the other person.

The last male student went to punch at her but she dodged that and kicked him in the stomach as well. He didn’t allow himself to fall and charged at her again but he failed giving Asteria the opportunity to punch him in the face sending him to the floor. Asteria then wiped her hands on her pants as if she was wiping away their dirt off of her hands. She went over to the feared kid on the floor and offered her hand.

“What’s your name? I didn’t get the chance to get it before,” she asked.

“It’s Bray,”

“I’m Asteria, nice to meet you. Do you want to go now Bray?”

Bray looked at Asteria before he looked up to see the boy Asteria kicked in the mid section standing over her holding a chair in her hands. He looked afraid as he looked at Asteria and then looked back to him so she could know. Asteria  then looked behind her to see what he saw as the chair came at her.